Amar’e Stoudemire ‘Can’t Wait’ for NBA Season After Working with Olajuwon

All-Star forward Amar’e Stoudemire, who’s spent the better part of a week in Houston training with Hall-of-Fame center Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, is ecstatic about all he’s learned. Knicks coach Mike Woodson, who played with Olajuwon when the two were with the Rockets, advised Stoudemire to work with Hakeem with hopes of adding some weapons to his offensive arsenal. If Stoudemire’s mindset is any indication, it seems like the mission has been accomplished. Via MyFoxHouston.com: “‘It’s always room to improve as a player,’ Stoudemire said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. ‘To want to be the best is always a common denominator for most players. So working with Hakeem, one of the best players to ever play the game, is a great opportunity for me. We are both very quick and athletic for our positions. So to learn from him will be a great advantage for me.’ Stoudemire said it is fantastic to work with a guy who has accomplished so much in the NBA. Olajuwon won two NBA championships with the Rockets and is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. ‘He helped me a lot,’ Stoudemire said. ‘A lot of moves that he has really, really translate to my game. To now develop a post game is going to be remarkable for me. It’s going to catch a lot of my opponents off guard and it’s going to be a great year for me. I have the IQ to implement this and learn fast, but it’s not easy. There’s a lot of detail that goes into it. He’s very, very swift with his footwork, and he’s very agile also, at (age) 50 still. It’s great to learn from him. This is a great opportunity because you never how long he’s going to be able to do this. So while I’m young and can still learn from one of the best, (I’m) very blessed to be a part of it.'”